Simple Grain Bowl (Print Version)

A nourishing, customizable bowl featuring your favorite grains, protein, and vibrant toppings.

# Components:

→ Base

01 - 1 cup uncooked brown rice or 1 cup uncooked quinoa or 1 cup uncooked farro

→ Proteins

02 - 2 cups cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
03 - 2 cups grilled chicken breast, diced
04 - 2 cups firm tofu, cubed and pan-seared
05 - 2 cups cooked shrimp

→ Toppings

06 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
07 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
08 - 1 cup shredded carrots
09 - 1 avocado, sliced
10 - 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
11 - 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
12 - 1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds
13 - 2 tablespoons fresh herbs, chopped (parsley, cilantro, or basil)

→ Dressing

14 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
15 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
16 - 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
17 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
18 - 1 clove garlic, minced
19 - Salt and pepper to taste

# Directions:

01 - Cook your selected grain according to package instructions. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool slightly before assembling.
02 - Cook or prepare your chosen protein option: grill chicken breast until fully cooked, pan-sear tofu cubes until golden, or use pre-cooked chickpeas and shrimp.
03 - Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until emulsified.
04 - Divide the cooked grain among four bowls. Arrange protein, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, carrots, avocado, red onion, feta cheese, pumpkin seeds, and fresh herbs on top of each grain base.
05 - Drizzle each bowl with dressing immediately before serving to maintain the freshness of the ingredients.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It never gets boring because you can swap ingredients based on what you have or what sounds good that day.
  • Meal prep becomes actually enjoyable when you can build four different bowls from the same base ingredients.
  • You feel virtuous and satisfied at the same time, which is a rare combination in weekday cooking.
02 -
  • Dressing a grain bowl too early will make it soggy and sad, so always keep the dressing separate until the last possible moment.
  • Toasting your seeds or nuts for just a few minutes in a dry skillet unlocks oils and flavor that raw ones simply cannot offer.
03 -
  • Always taste your dressing before you pour it over the whole bowl, because its much easier to adjust seasoning in the small batch than trying to fix an entire lunch.
  • Use your hands to massage kale or heartier greens with a tiny bit of dressing and salt before adding them to the bowl, it softens them and makes them less chewy.
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